Yeovil Town went down to defeat in their first National League match for sixteen years, as a penalty kick separated the two sides. Barnet gained their 1-0 victory thanks to Simeon Akinola who forced Lee Collins into a foul on the hour mark and then stepped up to send Stuart Nelson the wrong way for the only goal of the game. Yeovil competed physically, but lacked flair at times, with their best effort on goal coming via a Rhys Murphy second half free kick. But Akinola could have netted before his spot kick when he sent a first half shot that came off the top of the crossbar and back into Nelson's arms, with the home side edging the game overall.

The Glovers went into the match naming seven new signings along with one returning player. With Stuart Nelson and Craig Alcock having only played minor parts during the 2018-19 season, this was more or less a brand new team compared to the side that was relegated from the Football League at the end of last season - three of the five substitutes on the bench were brand new to the Yeovil Town first team as well.

During the first 20 minutes, the Glovers competed physically and at a fully committed rate. Birmingham City loanee Romeao Hutton fired a low drive on the angle to force former Glover Scott Loach to get down to his right and make a strong save. He then denied Rhys Murphy from long range, who was Yeovil's main focus of their attack, with the ball being threaded into him wherever possible.

A stoppage, which involved an injury to Myles Hippolyte seemed to upset the rhythm of the game and Barnet began to find their own feet, with Jack Taylor heading wide. Then Simeon Akinola headed over the bar from a Cheye Alexander cross. The Bees went very close though during the lead up to half time when the Glovers couldn't clear their defensive lines, and Akinola almost took advantage, lobbing Stuart Nelson but also seeing the ball come off the crossbar and back into the grateful arms of Nelson. Overall an even half, and not too many clearcut chances.

The second period saw Barnet begin to take control of Yeovil's midfield and thus began to stretch Yeovil's back four. This was typified by a cross into the box from Dan Sparkes that was met first time by the unmarked Simeon Akinola but Stuart Nelson produced a wonderful close range reflex save to deny him. Spaces began to open up down the middle, with David Tutonda rifling a shot wide of the post after he burst through.

That sort of stretching of the play was much of the reason why Yeovil conceded a penalty on the hour mark. Simeon Akinola turned sharply on the corner of the box, and captain Lee Collins knew he'd been sold by the striker, and stuck out a trailing leg to bring him down. Up stepped Akinola, who with a slow-motion run, did enough to force Stuart Nelson in one direction before he pushed the ball into the opposite corner. 1-0 to Barnet.

Yeovil had a five minutes spell in which they managed to get their act together with some crisp passing. But overall they were bypassing their own midfield far too much in the second period, with Matt Worthington and Tom Whelan struggling to get a foot in. Their best effort of the second half came via a set piece when Rhys Murphy curled a free kick around the wall, but Scott Loach was good enough to palm the ball away to stop the equaliser.

Play fizzled out with four minutes of injury time seeing Dan Sparks firing wide of the target in a match where the Bees deserved the three points on their second half display, and where Yeovil looked what they were - nearly an entirely new team that at times didn't quite know each other and weren't quite creative enough to get clearcut chances created. This may be a slow curve back upwards if the Glovers are to reverse last year's relegation, rather than any big blast, based on the opening 90 minutes.